Attorney General Jay Jones Announces Creation of Worker Protection Unit to Protect Virginia Workers and Promote Fair Competition

Attorney General Jay Jones Announces Creation of Worker Protection Unit to Protect Virginia Workers and Promote Fair Competition 

RICHMOND, Va. — During his speech today at the 44th Constitutional Convention of the Virginia AFL-CIO, Attorney General Jay Jones announced the creation of the Office of the Attorney General’s new Worker Protection Unit. This dedicated civil enforcement team will protect Virginia workers, hold accountable employers who violate labor laws, and promote fair competition for employers that play by the rules.  

The new unit, housed within the Office of Civil Rights in the Public Advocacy Division, will use investigations, civil litigation, education, and partnerships with state and federal agencies to address systemic workplace violations across the Commonwealth. The Worker Protection’ Unit will ensure that employers who follow the law are not undercut by those who don’t, while protecting workers from unlawful practices such as wage theft, retaliation, and employee misclassification. By focusing on systemic violations, the Commonwealth can protect workers, strengthen Virginia’s economy, and promote a level playing field for responsible businesses. 

“For the first time in the history of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, working people will have a dedicated enforcement team fighting for their rights on the job. Under my orders, this unit will protect workers, enforce the law, and hold bad actors accountable,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. “We will investigate wage theft, uncover misclassification schemes, and protect workers from retaliation. When an employer refuses to follow the law, we will take action. To every employer that pads profits by cheating working people, hear me clearly: the cost of breaking Virginia law is about to go up.”  

The Office of the Attorney General was provided new resources in the 2026–2028 budget that will be leveraged to establish the Worker Protection Unit. During its first year, the Office will hire a Unit Manager, an Assistant Attorney General, and an Investigator to build the Commonwealth’s affirmative civil labor enforcement capacity. 

The Worker Protection Unit will enforce laws involving wage theft and unpaid wages, employee misclassification, salary transparency requirements, paid sick leave protections where applicable, retaliation against workers asserting their legal rights, other workplace protections under Virginia law. The unit will focus enforcement efforts on cases involving large-scale systemic labor law violations, repeat offenders, multistate employers operating in Virginia, industries with vulnerable workforces, and practices that undermine fair competition or cause widespread economic harm.  

The Unit will investigate matters through referrals from the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry and other partners, as well as through independent investigations as authorized by law. When appropriate, the Office will seek voluntary compliance, including through negotiated settlements. In cases involving serious or ongoing violations, the Office will pursue affirmative civil litigation seeking available remedies, including restitution, injunctive relief, civil penalties, and other relief authorized under Virginia law. 

Beyond enforcement, the Worker Protection Unit will partner with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, other state agencies, labor organizations, worker centers, legal aid organizations, employer groups, and federal enforcement agencies to improve compliance with labor laws and expand education for workers and employers alike.

Published on:  August 14, 2026

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